Carton

ABSTRACT

A product and product packaging suitable for retail sale. The product can include a package carton comprising external and internal surfaces, wherein the internal surface includes a plurality of fold lines and first and second graphic portions, wherein the graphic portions are suitable to provide at least a portion of at least one of a toy, a game, a collectible, and an educational tool. The first graphic portion and the second graphic portion are bilaterally symmetrical to each other relative to at least one fold line of the plurality of fold lines. In another embodiment, the product is for use by a first consumer group but not a second consumer group, while the at least one of the toy, game, collectible, and educational tool is for use by the second consumer group but not the first consumer group.

BACKGROUND

Cardboard packaging is used by manufacturers to hold and protect package contents until the product is delivered to a consumer. The packaging may include an ingredients label printed on the outside, as well as other information such as a company logo.

Cardboard packaging such as a cardboard carton is typically used for the transport of the contents to the retailer and consumer as well as identifying the product brand and providing graphics in an attempt to make the product visually appealing to a potential customer. Once the product is purchased and the carton is emptied of its contents, the consumer typically discards or recycles the carton.

In some instances, a manufacturer may also print games or toys onto the cardboard package. For example, a cereal product marketed to children may include a printed cutout game or toy on the outside of the package as an amusement device.

BRIEF SUMMARY

The present teachings include a product and product packaging suitable for retail sale, including a product carton having an external surface and an internal surface, wherein the internal surface includes a plurality of fold lines, a first graphic portion, and a second graphic portion, wherein the first graphic portion and the second graphic portion are bilaterally symmetrical to each other relative to at least one fold line of the plurality of fold lines, and the first graphic portion and the second graphic portion are suitable to provide at least a portion of at least one of a toy, a game, a collectible, and an educational tool. The product is packaged within an interior of the product carton.

The present teachings further include a packaged toothpaste product suitable for retail sale, including a toothpaste carton having an external surface and an internal surface, wherein the internal surface includes a plurality of fold lines, a first graphic portion, and a second graphic portion, wherein the first graphic portion and the second graphic portion are bilaterally symmetrical to each other relative to at least one fold line of the plurality of fold lines, and the first graphic portion and the second graphic portion are suitable to provide at least a portion of at least one of a toy, a game, a collectible, and an educational tool. The packaged toothpaste product further includes a toothpaste tube packaged within an interior of the toothpaste carton.

The present teachings further include a method of making a product package. The method includes printing a first pattern onto a first surface of a carton blank, printing a first graphic portion onto a second surface of the carton blank, printing a second graphic portion onto the second surface of the carton blank, wherein the second graphic portion is a mirror image of the first graphic portion, and folding the carton blank to form a plurality of fold lines. The first graphic portion and the second graphic portion are bilaterally symmetrical to each other relative to one of the plurality of fold lines, and the first graphic portion and the second graphic portion are suitable to provide at least a portion of at least one of a toy, a game, a collectible, and an educational tool.

The present teachings further include a product and product packaging suitable for retail sale, including a product carton having an external surface and an internal surface and at least one of a toy, a game, a collectible, and an educational tool printed on the internal surface, where the product is within an interior of the product carton. The product is for use by a first consumer group but not by a second consumer group, while the at least one of the toy, game, collectible, and educational tool is for use by the second consumer group but not by the first consumer group.

Further areas of applicability of the present invention will become apparent from the detailed description provided hereinafter. It should be understood that the detailed description and specific examples, while indicating the preferred embodiment of the invention, are intended for purposes of illustration only and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The present invention will become more fully understood from the detailed description and the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a plan view of an external surface of an unfolded toothpaste carton;

FIG. 2 is a plan view of an interior surface of the unfolded toothpaste carton of FIG. 1 including at least one of a toy, game, collectible, or educational tool printed thereon;

FIG. 3 is a schematic perspective depiction of the toy, game, collectible, or educational tool of FIG. 2 after assembly; and

FIG. 4 is a schematic perspective depiction of the toothpaste carton of FIGS. 1 and 2 after folding and insertion of a toothpaste tube therein.

It should be noted that some details of the FIGS. have been simplified and are drawn to facilitate understanding of the present teachings rather than to maintain strict structural accuracy, detail, and scale.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The following description of the preferred embodiment(s) is merely exemplary in nature and is in no way intended to limit the invention, its application, or uses.

As used throughout, ranges are used as shorthand for describing each and every value that is within the range. Any value within the range can be selected as the terminus of the range. In addition, all references cited herein are hereby incorporated by referenced in their entireties. In the event of a conflict in a definition in the present disclosure and that of a cited reference, the present disclosure controls.

Reference will now be made in detail to exemplary embodiments of the present teachings, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. Wherever possible, the same reference numbers will be used throughout the drawings to refer to the same or like parts.

Research in emerging markets suggests that children can be a major influence in matters related to oral care habits, product choices, and benefits. Including a value adder that is attractive to children on a product marked for adult use may increase sales to adults. While a package container such as a cardboard carton is typically recycled or discarded after the product is removed, the present teachings can provide an approach to repurpose the carton, as well as providing a low cost marketing advantage in a product such as toothpaste.

While the present teachings are generally described below with reference to a product marketed to, and for use by, an adult as a first consumer group that includes and a toy, game, collectible, or educational tool marketed to, or suitable for, a child as a second consumer group, other first and second consumer groups are also contemplated. For example different consumer groups may include age groups different than adult and child, consumers of different genders, etc. In an embodiment, a first consumer group may be an adult having an age of at least 18 years while a second consumer group may be a child having an age of at most 12 years. Another consumer group may include a teen consumer group having an age range of from 13 years to 17 years. Another consumer group may include pets or other animals, as an animal product is purchased by the animal owner for use by the pet or other animal.

In a product such as a certain flavor of toothpaste that is manufactured and marketed for use by adults, a toy, game, collectible, or educational tool (hereinafter, collectively, “toy”) designed for a child printed on the adult product package may increase sales to adults. This may be particularly true for toothpaste flavors that are appealing to, and age-appropriate for, adults but which generate little or no interest in children, for example flavors including ______ [//Please list flavors]. Regardless of a child's influence on a parent's purchases, a parent or other caregiver may be more apt to purchase a product that includes something of interest for a child, particularly if it adds little or no additional cost.

The present teachings include a product package or carton for that includes a toy that is printed on the inside of a package, where the toy is age-appropriate for a child. In an embodiment, the toothpaste may have a flavor that is generally appealing to an adult, and is therefore age-appropriate for an adult's tastes, but which is of little or no interest to a child, and is therefore not age-appropriate for a child's tastes. In an embodiment, the product but not the toy is for use by one person (e.g., an adult), while the toy but not the product is for use by a different person (e.g., a child). In an embodiment, the toy can be printed on the inside of the package in such a way as to simplify assembly of the toy.

While the present teachings are generally described below and depicted in the FIGS. with reference to a toothpaste carton printed to include a toy on an interior surface of the carton, it will be appreciated that any number of other packaged products including a child's toy printed on the packaging are also contemplated. For example, other products packaged within a carton printed with a toy may include a toothbrush, liquid or bar soap, laundry detergent, dishwashing detergent, pet food or other pet products, deodorant or antiperspirant, food products, etc.

An embodiment of the present teachings is depicted in FIGS. 1 and 2. FIG. 1 is a plan view of an external (i.e., exterior) surface 10 of an unfolded toothpaste carton 12 (i.e., a carton blank). The external surface 10 of the toothpaste carton 12 can include four major external panels 14A-14D that are visible during display of the completed product to potential customers, two minor external panels 16A, 16B that are visible in the completed product, six secondary external panels 18A-18F that are not visible in the completed product, and an external assembly tab 20 that is not visible in the completed product.

FIG. 2 is a plan view of an internal (i.e., interior) surface 30 of the unfolded toothpaste carton 12. The internal surface 30 is not visible during the display of the product to potential customers. The internal surface 30 of the toothpaste carton 12 includes four major internal panels 32A-32D on the reverse sides of the four major external panels 14A-14D respectively, two minor internal panels 34A, 34B on the reverse sides of the two minor external panels 16A, 16B, six secondary internal panels 36A-36F that are on the reverse sides of the six secondary external panels 18A-18F respectively, and an internal assembly tab 38 on the reverse side of the external assembly tab 20.

The toothpaste carton 12 can be folded along preformed fold lines that are creased during manufacture to form a square cuboid that provides the completed carton. The preformed fold lines can include a first vertical fold line 40A, a second vertical fold line 40B, a first horizontal fold line 42A, a second horizontal fold line 42B, a third horizontal fold line 42C and a fourth horizontal fold line 42D. The unfolded toothpaste carton 12 is folded along the horizontal fold lines 42A-42D, an adhesive (not individually depicted for simplicity) is applied to the external assembly tab 20, which is then adhered in an adhesive area 44 on the internal surface 30, specifically on the first major internal panel 32A. Subsequently, secondary external panels 18B, 18E, 18A and 18D are folded in and adhesive is applied to secondary external panels 18C and 18F. Secondary panel 18C is folded in then panel 16A is folded in to adhere the reverse side of external panel 16A (i.e., internal panel 34A) to panel 18C. Secondary panel 18F is folded in then panel 16B is folded in to adhere the reverse side of panel 16B (i.e., internal panel 34B) to panel 18F.

Product information 46, manufacturer information 48, barcode information 50, and other text and/or graphics can be printed on the external surface 10 of the carton.

The internal surface 30 is printed to include a child's toy 52, and can be printed to include a set of assembly or playing instructions 54. For example, the instructions 54 can be printed on the first major internal panel 32A while the toy is printed on one or more of the remaining internal major panels 32B-32D. While FIG. 2 depicts an airplane for illustration, it will be appreciated that other toys such as automobiles, castles, heavy machinery, animals, cartoon characters, sports figures, including other games and collectibles, may be printed depending, for example, on the interest in a particular continent, country, or region. The airplane depicted in FIG. 2 may be a toy, part of a game such as a game piece, or a collectible.

After product purchase, the consumer can unfold the carton 12 to reveal the toy 52 on the internal surface 30 of the carton 12. In the exemplary embodiment of FIG. 2, the internal surface 30 is printed with a plurality of toy (e.g., aircraft) subassemblies. In this embodiment, the subassemblies include a pair of wings 60A, 60B, a pair of pontoons 62A, 62B, a pair of pontoon mounts 64A, 64B, a propeller 66, and a fuselage/tail 68. The various subassemblies are separated using, for example, scissors. In another embodiment, the various subassemblies can be perforated by the manufacture using, for example, a stamp or laser, such that the subassemblies can be separated by hand.

In the depicted embodiment, during printing of the toy 52, one or more toy subassemblies may be aligned with one or more of the carton folds 40A, 40B, 42A-42D, such that a subassembly can be conveniently folded along one or more of the carton folds 40A, 40B, 42A-42D to simplify construction. In this embodiment, a graphical portion of the fuselage 68 is printed as two fuselage halves 68A, 68B (i.e., a first graphic portion 68A and a second graphic portion 68B), where the two fuselage halves 68A, 68B are bilaterally symmetrical (i.e., each half is a mirror image of the other half) relative to the second horizontal fold line 42B, and connected together along the second horizontal fold line 42B. Each graphical portion is suitable to provide at least a portion of at least one of a toy. Each fuselage half 68A, 68B may further include one or more text elements that are not mirror images of the other half. The two fuselage halves 68A, 68B are separated from the remainder of the carton 12 as a single flat fuselage structure, then folded together along the second horizontal fold line 42 to form a single folded fuselage structure. The two fuselage halves 68A, 68B may be adhered together at the external surface 10 on the reverse side using an adhesive such as glue or a single or double-sided tape (not depicted for simplicity) to form a completed fuselage 68. FIG. 3 depicts the flat unassembled toy 52 of FIG. 2 after separation from the toothpaste carton 12 and assembly to form a three-dimensional toy 70.

In an embodiment, a graphical and/or textual indicium 72 may be printed on the external surface 10 of the unfolded carton 12 as depicted in FIG. 1 to alert a potential customer to the presence of a toy 52 on the inside of the completed folded carton.

FIG. 4 is a schematic perspective view depicting a folded toothpaste carton 80, a toothpaste tube 82 within the toothpaste carton 80, and toothpaste 84 within the toothpaste tube 82, ready for retail sale. The folded toothpaste carton 80 can be the unfolded toothpaste carton 12 after folding. FIG. 4 depicts the folded toothpaste carton 80 after inserting and sealing the toothpaste tube 82 within an interior of the folded toothpaste carton 80.

As depicted in FIG. 4, the toothpaste carton 80 can be folded for packaging of the toothpaste tube 82 along the horizontal fold lines 42A-42D. When viewed from an end, two adjacent major external panels 14A-14D each form an angle of approximately 270° relative to the external surface 10 of the folded toothpaste carton 80, or 90° relative to the internal surface 30 of the folded carton 80 (i.e., relative to two adjacent major internal panels 32A-32D).

In an embodiment to form the carton 12, a first surface (i.e., either the external surface 10 or the internal surface 30) of a carton blank is printed with a desired first pattern in a printing apparatus. The carton blank may be a flat, unfolded cardboard stock. More than one iteration of the first pattern may be printed onto the first surface. Subsequently, the location of the first pattern on first surface of the carton blank is registered by the printing apparatus. Next, a desired second pattern is printed on a second surface that is opposite the first surface, such that the second pattern is aligned with the first pattern. More than one iteration of the second pattern may be printed onto the second surface, where each second pattern is aligned with one of the first patterns. Next, each carton blank may be aligned with a cutting tool which separates each carton blank from the cardboard stock. The cutting tool may be, for example, a die cutter, a laser cutter, etc. After separating each carton blank from the cardboard stock, the vertical fold lines 40A, 40B and horizontal fold lines 42A-42D may be formed, and the carton blank may be glued, using a carton folder/gluer or another suitable process or other manufacturing equipment. Laser perforation, if used, may occur during any suitable processing, either prior to printing or after printing the first surface with the first pattern or the second surface with the second pattern. It will be appreciated that while this process is described as a series of acts or events, the present teachings are not limited by the ordering of such acts or events. Some acts may occur in different orders and/or concurrently with other acts or events apart from those described herein.

In an embodiment, the toy printed on the internal surface 30 of the carton 80 is not accessible for use and is not easily seen unless the carton is unfolded. In other words, the carton must be unfolded to access and use the toy. In an embodiment, after unfolding the carton 80, the subassemblies of the toy must be separated from each other and assembled together to form a completed toy.

In an embodiment, during use of the toy, at least one of the subassemblies (in this embodiment, the fuselage 68 of FIG. 2) can be folded along one of the horizontal fold lines 42A-42D (in this embodiment, the second horizontal fold line 42B) such that the back side of the first graphic portion 68A (i.e., the second major external panel 14B) and the back side of the second graphic portion 68B (i.e., the third major external panel 14C) form an angle of approximately 0° relative to the external surface 10 of the folded subassembly, or an angle of approximately 360° relative to the internal surface 30 of the folded subassembly (i.e. relative to the second major internal panel 32B and the third major internal panel 32C).

In an embodiment of the present teachings, a toy printed on an internal surface of a carton can be used as a marketing tool to increase sales of a particular product. The product itself sold within the carton can be targeted for use by an adult consumer, and is therefor age-appropriate for an adult. The product itself may be generally unappealing to a child, and is therefore not age-appropriate for a child. In an embodiment, the product but not the toy is for use by one person (e.g., an adult), while the toy but not the product is for use by a different person (e.g., a child). In an embodiment, the toy can be printed on the inside of the package in such a way as to simplify assembly of the toy.

Additionally, each toy, game, collectible, or educational tool printed may be included as part of a series. The series may include a theme of interest to a child, such as automobiles, castles, heavy machinery, animals, cartoon characters, sports figures, aircraft, a particular educational discipline, etc. A thumbnail graphic of the other items within the series may be printed on the internal surface 30 of the carton to identify the other items available in the series to the user of the toy, game, collectible, or educational tool and/or the consumer of the product.

While the present teachings have been illustrated with respect to one or more implementations, alterations and/or modifications may be made to the illustrated examples without departing from the spirit and scope of the appended claims. For example, it will be appreciated that while the process is described as a series of acts or events, the present teachings are not limited by the ordering of such acts or events. Some acts may occur in different orders and/or concurrently with other acts or events apart from those described herein. Also, not all process stages may be required to implement a methodology in accordance with one or more aspects or embodiments of the present teachings. It will be appreciated that structural components and/or processing stages may be added or existing structural components and/or processing stages may be removed or modified. Further, one or more of the acts depicted herein may be carried out in one or more separate acts and/or phases. Furthermore, to the extent that the terms “including,” “includes,” “having,” “has,” “with,” or variants thereof are used in either the detailed description and the claims, such terms are intended to be inclusive in a manner similar to the term “comprising.” The term “at least one of” is used to mean one or more of the listed items may be selected. Further, in the discussion and claims herein, the term “on” used with respect to two materials, one “on” the other, means at least some contact between the materials, while “over” means the materials are in proximity, but possibly with one or more additional intervening materials such that contact is possible but not required. Neither “on” nor “over” implies any directionality as used herein. The term “conformal” describes a coating material in which angles of the underlying material are preserved by the conformal material. The term “about” indicates that the value listed may be somewhat altered, as long as the alteration does not result in nonconformance of the process or structure to the illustrated embodiment. Finally, “exemplary” indicates the description is used as an example, rather than implying that it is an ideal. Other embodiments of the present teachings will be apparent to those skilled in the art from consideration of the specification and practice of the disclosure herein. It is intended that the specification and examples be considered as exemplary only, with a true scope and spirit of the present teachings being indicated by the following claims.

Terms of relative position as used in this application are defined based on a plane parallel to the conventional plane or working surface of a workpiece, regardless of the orientation of the workpiece. The term “horizontal” or “lateral” as used in this application is defined as a plane parallel to the conventional plane or working surface of a workpiece, regardless of the orientation of the workpiece. The term “vertical” refers to a direction perpendicular to the horizontal. Terms such as “on,” “side” (as in “sidewall”), “higher,” “lower,” “over,” “top,” and “under” are defined with respect to the conventional plane or working surface being on the top surface of the workpiece, regardless of the orientation of the workpiece. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A product and product packaging suitable for retail sale, comprising: a product carton comprising an external surface and an internal surface, wherein the internal surface comprises: a plurality of fold lines; a first graphic portion; and a second graphic portion, wherein the first graphic portion and the second graphic portion are bilaterally symmetrical to each other relative to at least one fold line of the plurality of fold lines, and the first graphic portion and the second graphic portion are suitable to provide at least a portion of at least one of a toy, a game, a collectible, and an educational tool; and the product is packaged within an interior of the product carton.
 2. The product and product packaging of claim 1, wherein: the product is for use by a first consumer group but not by a second consumer group; and the at least one of the toy, game, collectible, and educational tool is for use by the second consumer group but not by the first consumer group.
 3. The product and product packaging of claim 1, wherein: the first consumer group includes an adult having an age of at least 18 years; and the second consumer group is a child having an age of at most 12 years.
 4. The product and product packaging of claim 1, wherein the package carton is configured such that the package carton must be unfolded to access and use the first graphic portion and the second graphic portion.
 5. The product and product packaging of claim 1, wherein the at least one of the toy, game, collectible, and educational tool further comprises a plurality of subassemblies printed on the internal surface, wherein the plurality of subassemblies are configured to be separated from each other and assembled together to form a completed at least one of the toy, game, collectible, and educational tool.
 6. The product and product packaging of claim 1, wherein: the first graphic portion provides a first half of an airplane fuselage; and the second graphic portion provides a second half of the airplane fuselage.
 7. The product and product packaging of claim 1, further comprising an indicium printed on the external surface of the product carton that indicates the presence of the at least one of the toy, game, collectible, and educational tool on the internal surface of the product carton.
 8. A packaged toothpaste product suitable for retail sale, comprising: a toothpaste carton comprising an external surface and an internal surface, wherein the internal surface comprises: a plurality of fold lines; a first graphic portion; and a second graphic portion, wherein the first graphic portion and the second graphic portion are bilaterally symmetrical to each other relative to at least one fold line of the plurality of fold lines, and the first graphic portion and the second graphic portion are suitable to provide at least a portion of at least one of a toy, a game, a collectible, and an educational tool; and a toothpaste tube packaged within an interior of the toothpaste carton.
 9. The packaged toothpaste product of claim 8, further comprising: a toothpaste within the toothpaste tube, wherein the toothpaste is of a flavor that is marketed for use by a first consumer group but not by a second consumer group; and the at least one of the toy, game, collectible, and educational tool is for use by the second consumer group but not by the first consumer group.
 10. The packaged toothpaste product of claim 9, wherein: the first consumer group includes an adult having an age of at least 18 years; and the second consumer group is a child having an age of at most 12 years.
 11. The packaged toothpaste product of claim 8, wherein the toothpaste carton is configured such that the toothpaste carton must be unfolded to access and use the first graphic portion and the second graphic portion.
 12. The packaged toothpaste product of claim 8, wherein the at least one of the toy, game, collectible, and educational tool further comprises a plurality of subassemblies printed on the internal surface, wherein the plurality of subassemblies are configured to be separated from each other and assembled together to form a completed at least one of the toy, game, collectible, and educational tool.
 13. A method of making a product package, comprising: printing a first pattern onto a first surface of a carton blank; printing a first graphic portion onto a second surface of the carton blank; printing a second graphic portion onto the second surface of the carton blank, wherein the second graphic portion is a mirror image of the first graphic portion; and folding the carton blank to form a plurality of fold lines, wherein: the first graphic portion and the second graphic portion are bilaterally symmetrical to each other relative to one of the plurality of fold lines; and the first graphic portion and the second graphic portion are suitable to provide at least a portion of at least one of a toy, a game, a collectible, and an educational tool.
 14. The method of claim 13, wherein the folding of the carton blank folds the second surface into an interior of the product package such that the product package must be unfolded to access and use the first graphic portion and the second graphic portion.
 15. The method of claim 13, further comprising printing a plurality of at least one of a toy, game, collectible, and educational tool subassemblies, wherein the plurality of subassemblies are configured to be separated from each other and assembled together to form a completed at least one of the toy, game, collectible, and educational tool.
 16. The method of claim 13, further comprising printing an indicium on the first surface of the carton blank that indicates the presence of the at least one of the toy, game, collectible, and educational tool on the second surface of the product carton.
 17. A product and product packaging suitable for retail sale, comprising: a product carton comprising an external surface and an internal surface; at least one of a toy, a game, a collectible, and an educational tool printed on the internal surface, wherein: the product is within an interior of the product carton; the product is for use by a first consumer group but not by a second consumer group; and the at least one of the toy, game, collectible, and educational tool is for use by the second consumer group but not by the first consumer group.
 18. The product and product packaging of claim 17, wherein: the first consumer group includes an adult having an age of at least 18 years; and the second consumer group is a child having an age of at most 12 years. 